A total of 6,286 drivers of public utility vehicles (PUV) have joined the Land Transportation Franchising and Regulatory Board’s (LTFRB) Service Contracting Program (SCP) during its registration and orientation program last week.

In a Facebook post on Monday, the LTFRB said this total includes drivers of both traditional and modern public utility jeepneys (PUJ) who took part in the five-day general registration and orientation activity of the SCP at the Quezon City Memorial Circle from Nov. 25 to 29.

“Ang mga drayber ay sumailalim sa oryentasyon na pinamunuan ng LTFRB at ng Systems Manager upang mas maintindihan nila ang saklaw ng SCP (These drivers were given an orientation by the LTFRB and the Systems Manager to help them understand the scope of the SCP),” the LTFRB said.

After going through the orientation, it said these drivers submitted indemnity forms and signed their contract with the LTFRB.

“Sa ngayon, tanging mga PUVs tulad ng Public Utility Buses (PUBs), traditional, at modern PUJ drivers na pumapasada sa mga binuksang ruta sa Metro Manila ang kwalipikadong mapabilang sa Service Contracting Program (For now, only drivers of PUBs and traditional and modern PUJs that are already plying active routes in Metro Manila are qualified to join the SCP),” the LTFRB said.

While the general registration and orientation event has ended, it said qualified PUV drivers can still join the program by visiting the LTFRB office, Monday to Friday from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m.

These drivers are required to bring the original and a photocopy of their driver’s license, a certificate signed by their operator stating that they are a designated PUV driver, two photocopies of their operator’s valid ID (front and back) signed three times by the operator and a photocopy of the official receipt/certificate of registration (OR/CR) of their PUV.

Those interested are also encouraged to pre-register online by filling up a Google form at https://tinyurl.com/ServiceContracting.

The SCP is a program of the LTFRB and the Department of Transportation (DOTr) and is funded through the “Bayanihan to Recover as One” Act or the Bayanihan 2.

Under the program, drivers or operators of traditional and modern PUJs will receive PHP11 per kilometer while bus operators or drivers will receive PHP23.10 per kilometer, in addition to performance-based incentives and demerits, disbursed weekly through the Land Bank of the Philippines. (PNA)